Staying Healthy During Tough Economic Times

Many of us are feeling the economic crunch these days. Money is tight and the bills continue to arrive in our mailboxes. Stressful times such as these demand resiliency on our part, particularly in terms of our exercise and diet habits. Interestingly, a mentally stressed state can promote inflammation throughout the body. Avoiding mental stressors is not very easy during these times, so you need to consider the importance of avoiding inflammation caused by other factors, like poor diet and lack of exercise.

When you hear the word inflammation, you probably think first about swelling, redness, pain, etc., that can occur following an acute injury, irritation or infection. In general, this is short-term, localized inflammation (confined to a certain area of the body). But inflammation can also occur without physical injury. This is general, body-wide (systemic) inflammation, and it can cause subtle biochemical injuries to body tissues, increasing the risk of developing a number of serious diseases over time.

We promote the development of systemic inflammation by avoiding exercise and remaining sedentary. Not surprisingly, we should exercise daily to help prevent inflammation, and we must also modify our dietary habits. Believe it or not, diet is actually the most important factor affecting inflammation. Scientific research suggests that most diseases are caused by chronic, diet-induced inflammation. The average American diet is high in calories and low in fiber and nutrients. Approximately 80 percent of the calories consumed by Americans are derived from refined flour products, refined sugar, refined seed oils and fatty meat. It is now common knowledge that eating excess calories from sugar and fat leads to postprandial (following a meal) inflammation, which is thought to function as an insidious promoter of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, obesity, hypertension, asthma, depression, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and cancer. That's a long list of serious health conditions, all linked to a single culprit: inflammation.

Lean meat, fish, chicken, fruits, vegetables and nuts form the foundation of a diet that limits a postprandial inflammatory response. This is referred to as an "anti-inflammatory diet." Not surprisingly, this diet is recommended to help prevent the above-mentioned pro-inflammatory diseases, the treatment of which represents a massive drain on financial resources, both personally and for businesses.

A common argument is, "I can't afford to eat lots of fruits and vegetables," or "Healthy foods are expensive." I tend to strongly disagree with these arguments. A cup of coffee and a doughnut can cost up to $5. A 20 oz. bottle of soda costs more than $1. In contrast, a 5-pound bag of frozen carrots, broccoli and cauliflower costs $5 at Sam's Club, and a 1-pound container of pre-washed organic salad greens costs about $4. Both of those items can be consumed over several days by several people.

A large sweet potato that can be split between two meals costs about 75 cents. While certain nuts are very expensive (macadamias, for example), many are very reasonable. Lean meats, fish and chicken are reasonably priced and can be added to the vegetables and sweet potatoes. Fresh fruit remains very reasonable and should be one of the snacks of choice.

Dark chocolate is inexpensive and can be mixed with raw nuts and raisins for a great snack or dessert. I often melt a 50-calorie piece of dark chocolate with a little coconut oil and add some nuts and raisins. I place this combination on a piece of wax/freezer paper and place it into the freezer for about 10 minutes. My reward is an anti-inflammatory candy bar.

It is not more expensive to eat healthy, anti-inflammatory foods, if one shops wisely. Certainly, preventing the expression of chronic disease will save countless dollars and heartaches associated with the accelerated morbidity and mortality associated with pro-inflammatory living. In short, we cannot afford to eat any other way but anti-inflammatory.

While finances have been tight lately due to external economic forces, and may get worse in the near future, we can easily make this situation a lot worse by pursuing disease expression due to a pro-inflammatory lifestyle. Medical care for pro-inflammatory diseases is extremely expensive and generally preventable by adopting an anti-inflammatory diet that is no more expensive than one that is pro-inflammatory. We should consider that paying for expensive medical care will put most of us into debt even when economic times are good. So it makes no sense to pursue disease and expensive medical care with a pro-inflammatory lifestyle when economic times are not so good. In short, nutrition does not need to be compromised, even when the economy is down.


Foods That Promote Inflammation

• High-fat meats (especially red meat)
• Processed meats
• Sugary snacks, sodas and cereals
• Refined grains
• Candy and junk food
  

Foods That Discourage Inflammation

• Salmon and other oily fish
• Flax/pumpkin seeds
• Olive oil
• Whole grains
• Brightly colored fruits and vegetables

Destress at Your Desk

The phone is ringing nonstop. E-mails are pouring in. The boss just dumped a 50-page report on your desk that needs to be proofed by the end of the day. And it's only Monday.

You can feel your shoulders starting to tighten and your jaw beginning to clench. You need to de-stress fast, but you've only got a few minutes because that report – and your boss – won't wait. What can you do? Yoga to the rescue! According to the Yoga Alliance, nearly 6 million Americans practice yoga and 14 million say a doctor or therapist has recommended yoga to improve their health. Yoga can help improve circulation and heart health, along with reducing oxidative stress and providing other anti-aging benefits. And if you're overworked and overstressed, a few minutes of yoga can help loosen those muscles and let you face the rest of your day.

Try these four poses to take the edge off during a busy day at the office:

Side Stretch Raise both arms and stretch first to one side and then the other, holding the stretch for a few seconds on each side. This increases circulation and gets your spine moving the way it was meant to – much better than spending the entire day hunched over a keyboard.

Rotation Now slowly twist to each side. Be careful not to twist your neck excessively, especially if you're tense. Keep your chin lined up over your chest.

Back Arch Sit at the edge of your chair and put your hands behind you. Slowly arch backward, raising your chin as you do so. Squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Forward Fold Cross one leg so your ankle rests on the opposite knee, and then lean forward gently. This is a great way to stretch out hip and back muscles, which can tighten after hours of sitting.

Start each pose by slowly breathing through your nose. Hold each pose for at least three slow breaths, being careful not to overexert yourself. Remember, the goal is to relax and relieve tense muscles. This isn't a workout; it's a gentle, peaceful break from your stressful routine.

3 Ways to Decrease Stress

Relax
The average day can seem like one stressful task after the other, which adds up to a state of constant stress and frustration. Make time to get away from the daily grind, whether that's setting aside an hour or so each night before bed to take a walk, read a good book or just put your feet up and unwind. Sometimes all it takes is a little time to yourself to reduce your stress dramatically.

Refresh
Stress can be nothing more than your body and mind getting stuck in a rut of the "same old, same old." Stagnation sets in, which leads to stress over time. To avoid this pattern, think outside your daily box every once in a while: learn a new skill, incorporate new exercises into your workout routine, take a different route to work - anything to mix things up a little.

Rejuvenate
No matter how successful you are at incorporating anti-stress strategies into your daily routine, it isn't always enough. To truly rejuvenate, plan a few vacations every year; you'll be less stressed leading up the time off, just knowing it's around the corner, and getting away from normal responsibilities can do wonders to ease stress and rejuvenate your spirit.